"The ignorance of the public on the subject of marriage is perfectly appalling," said Mr. Justice Rowlatt at Cambridge Assizes. "A considerable number of people in England are able to read and write, and have at least had an elementary education, and are supposed to be able to take a direct part in the management of thd most complicated empire the world has ever seen, but they hold views about matrimony which would be laughed at by a Zulu."
The Judge made these comments in connexion with a case in whi William Wilson, aged MB soldier in khaki and with mast medal ribbons, pleaded guilty to committing bigamy with Harriet Mar-garer Warners, a soldier's widow with four children, six months after he had married another woman.
He alleged that his legal wife sold up his home whilst he was in France and went off with another man, On his suggestion, she signed an agreement to free him, when he went through a form of marriage with Warners, and his wife promptly charged him with bigamy.
The facts were admitted on both sides, and as Wilson had been in prison for two months, His Lordship discharged him after making the above comments.
Wilson, with a profound bow, remarked: ''Thank you, my Lord;" to which the Judge laughing, responded: "Oh! don't thank me like that.'
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.